Realisation
by LinZE
Summary: One take on the lunch celebrating the wedding at the end of PD2. CJ


**REALISATION**

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, nada, nilch. sigh

SUMMERY: One take on the dinner celebrating the wedding at the end of PD2.

Joseph looked around at his new wife, hearing the sound of her crystal glass clattering against her china. She steadied the wineglass, but he immediately noticed that her hand was trembling.

"Clarisse?" He muttered under his breath as he caught her eye, unnerved to see that suddenly her complexion had become rather waxy. "Are you all right?" Reaching out, he caught her hand under the table.

"Yes… no… I'm suddenly feeling rather light headed…" she said, her gaze focussing on the table cloth between their place settings. Moving his hand to her back, he rubbed it gently trying to offer her a little comfort.

"Is it passing?" He asked, the sound of the rest of the table fading out as he listened to her trying to take steady breaths.

"A little… I think… I think maybe a little fresh air would help…"

"Of course." He replied, standing and pulling back her chair.

"Excuse us for a moment, wont you?" he said to those sitting around them, offering them what he hoped was an appropriately diplomatic smile. Placing an arm around Clarisse's waist, he helped her up, taking her weight when her legs buckled under her for a moment. "Ok?" He asked softly, ignoring the slightly strange looks they were now getting.

"Hmmm." She replied, before beginning to take slow steps towards the French windows. The footman positioned closest opened the doors and shut them again after the newlyweds had stepped out onto the stone balcony that ran the length of the banquet hall.

"Here." Joseph urged, guiding her to a shaded stone bench against the wall. "Sit, and put your head between your knees." He added, seeing that she still looked horribly pale. She obeyed without a word and Joseph settled himself next to her and rubbed soft circles on her back.

After a minute, Charlotte's head appeared hesitantly around the door. "Charlotte." He greeted her softly.

"Sorry, I would have come straight away but…" she continued as she stepped outside. "I wasn't sure you just didn't want some time alone…"  
Joseph had to smile a little at that.

"No… no… Clarisse was just feeling a little faint and we thought some fresh air might help."

"Oh – I'm so sorry. Can I get you anything?" She asked.

"A glass of water and maybe a wet flannel?" He suggested, turning back to his wife, concerned that she hadn't said a word to her aide. "My darling?" He enquired once they had been left alone.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, propping her elbows on her knees and lifting her head a little to rest in her hands.

"There's nothing to be sorry for." He said emphatically.

"I guess it all just hit home – I mean… the wedding and… and…"

"You're not regretting it, are you?" He asked instinctively, a deep pang of anxiety striking him to the core.

"No! Never!" She replied quickly, sitting up to look him in the eye. Joseph was immediately relieved but only momentarily as it seemed that this sudden movement had been too much and her eyes rolled back in her head. He caught her easily as she slumped, preventing her from doing any further damage to herself. His training automatically kicked in and, standing, he lowered her so that she was lying along the bench, lifting her ankles so that they rested on the stone urn that sat at the end of the seat.

Her eyes flickered almost immediately and he crouched down next to her head as she seemed to try and gage her surroundings. "Hello there." He said, wiping her fringe out of her eyes.

"Hello…" She replied, offering him a tentative smile.

"It would seem that everything that's taken place over the last month has finally taken it's toll on you my dear." He said, gently stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers. Before she could reply, Charlotte returned carrying a pitcher of water, a glass and a face cloth.

"Thank you." Clarisse said, offering the younger woman a smile, the colour seeming to return to her cheeks.

"Princess Mia was enquiring about you – what would you like me to tell her?"

"That I'm fine." Clarisse replied immediately.

"Oh – and am I to assume that 'fine' is the new description for people who faint when they sit up too quickly?" Joseph asked, looking her straight in the face and arching an eyebrow.

The Queen opened her mouth as though to protest but never actually managed to make a sound. "Tell the Princess that her Grandmother has not slept properly in more than a week, hasn't been eating properly for longer and has just had a rather emotional day…" he continued, not giving Clarisse an opportunity to interrupt. "And all of these things have caught up with her at last." Charlotte nodded efficiently but he could read in her slight smile that she agreed. "You may also inform her that The Queen's husband has every intention of making sure that she gets some well deserved rest this afternoon however and ask her to offer our apologies for our abrupt departure to the guests."

"Of course, Sir." The younger woman supplied her smile spreading. "If there's anything you need – just ask." She added before leaving them alone.

"Really Joseph." Clarisse sighed impatiently. "I feel much better and there's no reason not to go back and join…"

"No." He said firmly, wringing out the dampened cloth and lifting her head a little so that he could hold it to the back of her neck. "Clarisse ," he began again, more softly, "firstly, I love you more than I could possibly ever say and I want to look after you. Secondly, how exactly do you think it would look if I let my wife pass out in a stuffy ballroom merely hours after I had married her?"

She smiled at this but after another over dramatic sigh she conceded to his wishes. "Well I suppose I could force myself to let my husband take me to bed for the afternoon."

"I shall do just that my dear, and then I shall tuck you in and turn out the light and you shall go to sleep."

"Joseph…!" She complained.

"Don't start with me madam – we have plenty of time for everything else. Today is going to be all about me pampering you a little. With everything that's gone on since Mia's return, even without our own surprise wedding, it should hardly be surprising that you're exhausted and run down." This time Clarisse didn't protest, but did accept his help to sit up a little and take small sips from the glass he held.

"Dizziness gone?" He asked after a few moments of comfortable silence.

"Much better." She replied.

"Think you can sit up?" In reply, she lowered her legs down onto the bench, waiting to acclimatise a little before shifting her feet to the floor. Joseph helped her sit up slowly, watching her colour which began to fade a little again. "Here. Take another sip." He encouraged holding the glass up to her again, holding the damp flannel to the back of her neck.

"Thank you." She said after another minute.

"My pleasure." He replied with a smile, leaning in to kiss her forehead chastely. He stood and then, taking her elbows, helped her upright, letting her lean against his chest until she regained her equilibrium.

"I'm sorry – I'm fairly certain that this wasn't how you planned on spending your wedding day…" She murmured into his suit.

"As long as I'm with you, my dear." He replied, kissing the top of her head before leaning down a little to scoop her into his arms.

"Wha…! Joseph! Put me down. Someone will see!"

"Not a chance." He said bluntly, turning and walking along the balcony to the last door that led back into the foyer and would allow them to avoid the prying eyes of most of the guests. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with a man being seen with his new wife in his arms and after all," he added in a whisper, leaning down close to her ear, "the least I can do is give the staff the impression that I'm off to ravish my wife for hours on end."

"Joseph!" Clarisse scolded, slapping him lightly on the chest. "I do love you, you know." She added much more quietly her hand playing over the buttons of his shirt as they crossed the marble hall.

"I know. And I love you my dear. More and more every day." He admitted, holding her closer to his heart.

"Forever." She whispered almost sleepily.

"Forever." He echoed.

By the time he had climbed up to her suite, their suite now he supposed, Her Majesty Queen Clarisse of Genovia, his newly wed wife, was already asleep in his arms.

**A/N: **Thanks as ever to my fabby beta revsue. Would love to hear what you thought of this - I hope that you enjoyed it...

xLx


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